Impact: Feature Issue on Achieving Secondary Education and Transition Results for Students with Disabilities

Full Description:

What is helping students with disabilities in transitioning from school to adult life? That’s the focus of this issue of Impact. It includes articles written by researchers, community service providers, and others. This edition of Impact has nineteen articles and sidebars that explain many of the sub-topics that fit under the very large banner of “providing appropriate education for secondary students with disabilities in an era of educational reform.”

There are eight articles that profile successful research or community programs that assist youth in transitioning into adult life. One of these explain the work of the DO-IT Program housed at the University of Washington . Using a technology-rich approach, this program combines residential summer study, computer and internet activities, and career preparation to prepare youth with disabilities for success in college.

Five of the agency profiles have sidebar articles that illustrate success through people’s stories. For the DO-IT Program, the sidebar article explains the experience of Ryan, an excerpt:

“DO-IT has helped me connect with other programs that gave me opportunities such as internships, and possible future employers who are willing to hire me after I graduate with my degree. It helped empower me with a sense of independence and accomplishment! Now they call me a DO-IT Ambassador, and I share my knowledge/experiences with people who are where I was a few years ago.”

A sampling of the titles from other articles that profile successful community programs:

- Skills for Success: A Three-Tiered Approach to Positive Behavior Supports
- Providing Seamless Connections Between High School and Adult Services in Seattle

There are six articles about research, policy, and service delivery. One titled “Universal Design in Secondary and Postsecondary Education is written by Christine Bremer of the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration. An excerpt:

“Many techniques are available to help teachers adapt curricula and assessment to individual students. However, these solutions are often time-consuming, tend to separate students with disabilities from their classmates, and vary widely in effectiveness. As a result, there is growing interest in universal design, an approach that seeks to maximize access and usability for everyone.

A sample of titles from the other articles about research, policy, and service delivery:
- Improving Graduation Results: Strategies for Addressing Today's Needs
- Assumptions in Transition Planning: Are They Culturally Sensitive?

Article titles and excerpts taken from the full text version viewed online on 10/18/11 (ici.umn.edu/products/impact/163/default.html)